Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-25
NEW SOUTH AND NORTH.
Why the Eagle on the Dollar PRrches
and Screeches Over the South
ern Hills and Wales.
Reasons for the Boom That is Abroad In
the Land-A Comparison OF Values
Nor.h and South.
Cincinnati Enquirer,

the cars l met New York gentleman,
Msj0T J L. B5tmsu of Saratoga, in that
stale. Major Betman is q contractor and
man Of varied experience ysnd general
success as Z railroad bgilEer. He has
. been interested in railroad building in the
northwest, and recently came south to
bid upon railroad work in Alabama, be-
ing attracted by the signs Of prosperity
in that section. He Gas 8 contract for
building about forty miles of railroad
from Admission to Gadsden on the
CoOs2 river. This is an impor ant link
in a railroad from the Tennessee
river to the Gu f of Mexico, watch has
been projected and talked OF in Eastern
Alabama Tor many years, reaching back
before the war. This link will be done
INSIDE of year, it is claimed, and its
completion viii hasten the completion OF
other short links, which will give Cincin-
natl 4 new and shorter line to the Sea
board by come ctiOn with the Queen and
Crescent route at Gadsden. MAJ Jr Bet
man is one of that sample of New York
ers you often meet, of the Puritan Dutch
class, practical and so skeptiCal that he
doesn't believe il anything he can't feel
and count.
'FWhat do you Think Of the tidal wave
of prosperity tHat is now sweeping over
the souUh?'' I asked him.
"What do think Of it?'' he replied.
"I think il is marvellous. Like most men
in the north VINO Had brains and capitol
TO let aud esgeT for occupation l viewed
the south with prejudice, and came here
with manV misgiVIagS. Once here the
advantages l say on every side surprised
and dumbfounded me, and the cordial
4
to We nOrtAern men come among them
20 help them develop the country pleased
me. The south has passed into 4 Low a :
mosphere, and the eagle on the dollar,
always timlj, has found il bJta safe and
profitable 70 fly litherward ana settle"
''Ygu believe the boom has Come to
stay, Them"
81 DO. / believe it SO much that have
invested heavily at both Admission and
Gldsden, and believe bOta Of them are
bUusd t. be great manufacturing towns.
l GId not com here to invest. l came
here 20 make some money in building
railroads, amt in going over the ground
the natural advantages and wonder
fUl riches Of the country convinced
me that l could not plant money
more advantage usly anywhere than in
Alabama, and l have dipped in. There Is
great interest in New York over this
country, and | have been pumped dry by
business men and capitalists while Ell
home, VINO have called on me for inf0r-
nation. These never used TO pay any
attention TO lhe south. The very fact
that they are willing 20 ask questions
about the south is good and a hopeful
sign. 1t shows thst there is a new north
looking toward the new SOUTH
"YUu think the boom there has solid
foundation, then, and has come TO stay?"
eyes, it has solid basis, and has come
TO STAY. Il il founded on coal and iron
There are Two reasons for the advance In
prices In the south. First, northern CAPT
tai is no longer timid and they go about
seeking investment in the south, and,
secondly, the luilding Of railroads ia
y every direction is opening up the most
A$Tem&rkaoie mineral veal b in the UuiUed
States, il not IL the world Lands that
have been practically valueleSs because
they We're inaccessible, and which haV5
been selling FIR 81 and 50 an acre,
have advanced hundred told in value
and being opened t. q market and the
world, they must continue TO advance il
value according 10 the natural Wealth
they contain until they approximate theiI
real value. Compare the returns of real
and personal property for taxation in the
northern states with those in the southern
states, and you viii be surprised at the
wide difference. With many advantages
On the side of the south, the property is
worth s hundred fold more. This was
OCcasiOned by the impOverishment of the
waT and fOr otHer reasons l have men
toned"
A CONTRAST OF VALUES.
Following up Major Betman's sugges.
ton, the following comparison was sough,
out. It is based on the census of 1880
and it is assumed that all the property
belongs to the whites. This is not SC
now, ana if it were possible to get the
accurate values OF property IN the south
for last year it would make much more
favorable showing for the south:
The six New England states have g
white population of 3,966, 769, and an
assessed valuation of real and personal
property OF s., G5l, 555, S62.
The six Middle states Counting Mary
land and the District of Columbia as
two: white population, II ,267 ,9I4; as
sessed valuation. So, 5G4, SIS, 488.
The thirteen southern states (MissOuri
not nciuded): white population, 1892, ;
SOS; assessed valuation, 81, $40, 90, 2G9.
We have, then, for every white person
IN the New EuEldHu states, 900; III the
middle states, 1894, and in the southern
states, S247. That is, the people OF toe
New England states have more than two
and half times, and those of the middle
states exactly twice, the peCuniary ability
of the southern people.
The following additional comparisons
are gwen:
The sJste Of New York (includiug the
city, exceeds by S2SI, Ol7,737 the as
sessed valuation Of the tbIrteen southern
states.
Pennsylvania has al assessed valuation
more than tw0-lhjcdS tnsC Of the south
ern states, and more than five times thai
OF Virgins.
Massachusetts exceeds by $500, 00O,5 S2
the assessed valuation of Virginia, Ken
lucky, Georgia aud Texas. 1t has twenty
six times Is mucd property 10 the square
mile as Virginia.
Connecticut, less than One-eighth the
area Of Virginia, more than equals taat
state IN wealth.
Rhode Island, one forty-seventh Of
Georgia, more than equals that state IN
wealth.
New York city nearly equals Virgins,
Kentucky, Georgia and Texas, the four
Wealthiest southern states.
Boston nearly equals Virginia and
Kentucky.
Philadelphia nearly equals Virginia and
Georgia.
The south furnishes the raw material
to turn every spindle in the north. There
e, IN, ,T,, ~,